williams



Oct. .16, 1923.

E. R. WILLIAMS CHANGE SPEED GEAR Filed Feb. 3, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 3 Shouts-Shut 2 Oct. 16 1923. 1,471,228

E. R7 WILLIAMS CHANGE SPEED GEAR Filed Feb. 1922 3 ShGOtI'ShOOt 3 Patented Oct. 16, 1923. v

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GRANGE-SPEED GEAR.

Application filed February 3, 1922. Serial No. 533,790.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDGAR ltrcrmno Wlnnlsars, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at 68 Whiteleigh Avenue,

Addington, Christchurch, in the Dominion of New Zealand, have invented new and useful Improvements in and relating to Change-Speed Gears, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to change-speed gear and although especially adapted to the requirements of motor-vehicles, is applicable also to change-speed gear employed in connection with other forms of machinery.

The invention relates to that form of gear wherein the change is effected by bringing into mesh with one another gearwheels mounted upon a maid-shaft and counter-shaft.

In the case of gears of this nature it is desirable that the two wheels when about to intermesh, should be revolving at the same tooth-speed as otherwise their engage ment will be accompanied by considerable noise and shock, which results in more or less injury to the teeth. In the event of there being serious disparity between their respective tooth-speeds, it may even be impossible to get the wheels to intermesh at all.

The correct performance of this operation, more particularly in the case of a motorvehicle, requires considerable skill and judgment on the part of the driver in inanipin lating the change-lever by means of which the engagement oi the gears is ellected and the clutch by means of which the driving shaft is connected and disconnected with the engine or other source of power.

It is the object of the present invention however to provide means whereby: during the process of changing gears, the incoming pair of wheels betore internieshing, will be positively and detintely brought to the required relative speeds as already mentioned, thus ensuring a certain and noiseless change. By the use of the present invention a change of gears may safely be effected under conditions which according to hitherto existing practice. would be impossible or hazardous.

Thus, for example, a car may be placed in gear during the process of coasting down hill in neutral, or again the reverse gears may be brought into mesh before the car has actually stopped its forward movement.

In carrying this object into etl ect the present invention consists essentially of the provision, in addition to the ordinary or main gears, of a set of subsidiary gears of the same ratios as the main gears and adapted to temporarily connect between the main-shaft and the counter-shaft when the main gears are about to engage. The said subsidiary gears consist either of trains of gear wheels permanently in mesh or chain gears.

In order that they may become operative only when required the wheels of the subsidiary gears or one in each train is rotablc upon its shaft and suitable friction clutches are provided for connecting such wheels to their shaft or shafts when required for the purposes of the invention.

The said friction-clinches are controlled and operated automatically by and in conjunction with the means employed for manipulating the main gears.

ln order that the nature of the invention and its construction may be clearly understood, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an application of the invention to a known type of change-speed gear.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section on a somewhat larger scale, through the main and counter shafts as shown in Fig. 1.

l 3 is a cross-section through the operating-rods of the main and subsidiary gears. the engaged condition being shown in full lines while the disengaged condition is iinlicated in dotted lines.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section through a portion of the operating rods of the subsidiary gears illustrating portions of the means employed for inter-connecting one of such rods with the corresponding rod of the main gears.

Fig. 5 shows in detail one of the yokes employed in operating one of the friction clutches ot the subsidiary gears.

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section of a portion of the main shaft and counter-shaft showing the friction clutches mounted upon the counter shaft instead of on the main shaft as'in Fig. 2.

F ig. 7 shows in longitudinal section one practical means for so driving the countershaft of the subsidiary gear as to permit such shaft a slight amount of torsional freedom, and

Fig. 8 is an end view of the device shown in Fig. 7.

The invention is here shown applied to a known construction of motor-car transmission gear and comprfling a shaft 1 the forward end of which is connected through the driving clutch with the engine, while the rear-end of such shaft enters the forward end of the gear-box 2, a portion of which is'shown in Fig. 1.

Within the said gear-box are rotatably mounted a-n'iain shaft 13 disposed in line endfor-end with the shaft 1 and adapted to transmit power from thelatter to the cardan or propeller shaft the car. and a counter-shaft 4t arranged in parallel relation to the said shaft 3.

The counter-shaft 4 is connected with the shaft 1 so as to be rotated thereby through the medium of the constantly meshing gear wheels 5 and 6 and such shaft 1. is also provided with one member of a dogclutch 7 the other member of which is slidably carried upon the shaft 3 in order that the said clutchiinay be engaged or disengaged, there by connecting or disconnecting such shafts 1 and 3. i i I Fixedly mounted upon the counter-shaft 4L are three gearwheels, viz: a low gear wheel 8, an intermediate gear-wheel 9 and a reverse geanwheel 10, the latter being an ranged permanently in mesh with an idler gear wheel not shown.

The portion of the main shaft corresponding with that of the countershaft upon which the said wheels are mounted, is splined to slidably carry two gear-wheels viz a gear-whee]. 11 adapted to he slid into mesh with the gear-wheel 9 and to which gear wheel 11 is attached the slidable member of the dog-clutch 7 and a near-wheel 12 adapted to be slid into mesh with either the gear wheel 8 or the said idler gear-wheel meshing with the Q'Q2U-Vl1(\0l The arrangeinent is such that if the shaft. 1 is rotated. the counter-slraft 4- will he rotated thereby, while the wheels 11 and 12 and the slidahle member-of the clutch i are in their neutral positions as here shown however the shaft 3 will remain at r it.

If the wheel 12 is slid in forward direction into mesh with the wheel. 8 theshaft 3 will be rotated by such wheels and 12 in the same direction as the shaft 1. which combination constitutes the low forward. gear of the car, while by sliding the wheel 1 in a rearward direction so as to come into mesh with the aforementioned idlerwheel meshi with the wheel 10 the shaft will thereby be rotated in the opposite direction thus providing; the reverse or backward drive of the car. 1

Again if, walls the wheel 12 occupies its neutral position the wheel 11 is slid in a rearward direction so to come into mesh with the wheel 9 the shaft 3 will thereby be rotated in the first mentioned direction thereby constituting the intermediate gear while by sliding such wheel ll in a for ward direction so as to cause the slidahle member of the dog-clutch 7, to engage other member of the latter the sha ill be coupled directly to the shaft the constituting the direct or top-gear drive.

The means en'iployed for effecting these manipulations consists of two rods 13 and 1 1- respectively disposed parallel with the said shafts and each adapted to independent longitudinal sliding movement, the rod 12- heing arranged concentric with the rod i l andadapted to perform its said sliding movement therethrough.

Fixodly carried upon the rod 12% a iorlt or yoke 15 which engages within a circimi ferential groove 16 provided in the boss of the wheel 12 and similarly upon the rod 11 is fixedly mounted a fork or yoke 17 which engages within a circuz-nferential groove 12% the boss of the wheel 11.

The forward end of the rod 35 connected by means of a connecting rod 19 with the customary gear-change lever operable by the driver of the vehicle and sin'iilarly the forward end of the rod 1 1- connected by means of a connecting rod 20 with such lever.

Thus far the construction is already known to the art to which it upper-talus.

i -recording to the present invention there is provided a series of subsidiary gears cor train of wheels 01' a chain tentially capable of opera shaft 8 from the driving shaitt 1 in 1 tion and at a speed ratio of such I al with that produced h the .1. L s, one subsidiary gear corresponding with each main gear.

A here shown this purpose is elected by providing upon the cminter-shaft l or upon a separate counte1.'-shaft or any extension of the shaft 1 as 21, four gear-wheels namely 22, 23, 21 and 25 to correspond with the four main gears hereinbefore mentioned.

Upon the main driven shaft- 3, or an ex tension thereof, areprovided a series of four gear-wheels namely, a wheel 2'? arranged in constant mesh with the wheel a wheel in constant mesh with the wneel 23, a wheel 29 in constant mesh with the wheel 52-11:. and a wheel 30 in constant mesh with an intermediate or idler wheel (not shown) and which idler wheel is also in constant mesh with the wheel 25.

The subsidiary geartrain 22 and corresponds with the highest of the aforesaid gears produced by connecting the driven shaft 3 directly with the driving shaft 1. by means of the dog-clutch. The said g ar train 22 and 27 will therefore be such rs to be, capable of rotating the sha t a in the same direction and at the same speed as the shaft 1.

The subsidiary gear train 23 and 28 cor-- responds with the second or intermediate main gear-train 9 and 11 and consequently the said gear-train 23 and 28 will be such as to be capable of rotating the shaft 3 in -the same direction and at the same speed ratio to the driving shaft 1 as; the said main gear to which it corresponds.

In a similar manner the subsidiary gear train 2-1 and 29 corresponds with the main train 8 and 12, and the subsidiary gear train including the wheels and 30 corresponds with the reverse gear-train of the main gear including the wheels 10 and 12.

The said subsidiary gear-trains are normally inoperative, that is to say they are normally stationary or run idly without driving the shaft 3 but the arrangement is such that each of the subsidiary gear-trains will be rendered operative for the purpose of driving the shaft 3 when its corresponding main gear is about to be brought into use.

For this purpose the said wheels of the subsidiary gears are normally adapted to revolve upon either or both of the shafts 21 and 3 and friction clutches are provided in order to cause such wheels to revolve with their said shafts when requircdfor the purpos of the invention as above explained.

Thus for example, as here shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the wheels 22, 23, 2t and 25 are fixedly secured to the shaft 21 as by means of bins 31 while the wheels 27, 28. 29 and 30 are revolyable upon the shaft 3 and are adapted to be connected individually there to by means of friction clutches 32, 38, 34: and 35 respectively.

.rgain, as shown in Fig. 6, the same puris effected by securing the wheels 27, Q 29 and 30 fixedly to the shaft 3 while the wheels 22. 23, 22- and 25 are revolvable pen the shaft 21. in which case the friction clutches 32, 33. 3t and 35 will be mounted upon the shaft 21 and adapted to individu- The said friction-clutches may be of any suitable construction.

v .is here shown (Figs. 2 and6) each of such clutches consists of a pair of plates or members 36 and 37 arranged side by side, and adapted to come into and out of frictional engagement with each other, the plate 96 being fixedly attached to so as to rotate with the gear-wheel it is designed to control while the plate 37 is so mounted upon the shaft as to rotate therewith and to be capable of sliding movement endwise thereon for the purpose of coming into and out of frictional engagement with its corresponding plate 3t). effected by providing the shaft with suitable feathers 38 which are slidably received in suitable feather-ways in the plates 37.

ln the construction here shown the slidable plates 2)? of the clutches 32 and are arranged adjacent to and formed integral with each other and similarly the plates 37 of the clutches E i and are adjacent and integral.

In order to provide satisfactory frictional surfaces, the plates 3? are provided with linings 39 of leather, fabric, or other suitable naterial, by means of which the said (aging-crumm with the plates 36 is effected.

For the inn-pose of effecting the engagement and disengagement of the said clutches two yekes all) and ll. are provided, the yoke 20 being adapted to operate the plates 37 of the clutches 32 and 33 while the yoke l is adapted to sin'i'ilarly operate the plates T of the clutches Set and 35.

its here shown (Fig. 5) each of the yokcs h) and ll is fulcrumed loosely upon a pin l2 attached to the rasing 2 of the gear-box. the arinngcmcnt being such as to permit of the yokes heing swung slightly in forward and rearward direction upon their said fuli'lliil5 4 2 for the purpose of causing their eorresponi'ling clutches to engage or disengage.

For the purpose of controlling the said movements of the yokes, a pair of rods 43 and a l are provided and disposed parallel with the said shafts, each of such rods being adapted for independent sliding movement in a lOlWli'lltlliltll direction.

.is here shown the said rods are arranged co centric with each other, the rod 43 passaxiallythrough the rod 4:4- in a manner similar to that of the rods 13 and I l aforementioned.

To the rearward portion of the rod 44 is connected by means of a suitably articulated connecting member +15 the yoke 40, while by similar means the rearward portion of the rod 4:3 is connected to the yoke 41.

The rods 43 and -l are arranged to be operated respectively by the movements of the rods 13 and let in such a manner that as either of the last said rods is moved by As here shown this purpose is lit) till

{The latter lujiurrrn' provu izoxfill re compre sion sprir a gear-lever for the purpose oi bringing one or the main gears into u e., the rod 43 as the case may be, will thereby be operated so as to cause the clutch contro ling the equivalent si'ibsidiary gear to engage and so in 9; such subsidiary gear into use and then uisongage and so restore such subsidiary rear to its normal inoperative coiulition.

"For this purpose upon the forward portion 01'? the rod l3 is fixedly arranged a collar or other formation having a groove or notch 4.6 and similarly upon the forward portion of the rod 14 is fixedly arranged a like formation l'iaving a groove 4L7.

The rod provided with arm 48 adapted to enter the groove and be enthere wv and similarly the rod 4e; is :an arm 49 adapted to enter Lie groove 47..

The said EB-to their such to axially in relari in'g slightly in thereon so as to ope-r11: t"-

lS iii hox or cylintleri :al casing 50 so carried upon its said rod as to be capable ol: turningaxially thereon and Sllfllllg thereon in a longitudinal direction. lVithin each oi the s id boxes 50 (Fig. l) and positioned at or about mid-Way of the two ends thereot' is a collar 51 fixedly secured to the rod. 43 or 441: asihe case may be, but adapted to perm-itthe bot; to irn anially or slide longitudinally in relation to it Airr nn'ed one on either moh is long]- both to the is contained with internal. v i t the inward 3 relative lo shoulders 54L u'liiclrseiw'e to movement of the rollers to the central or intermediate portion of the lion, While interposed between the outer faces oi each of the collars 52 and and he respective adiacent end-members oi? the arrznig-enwnt is such therefore that it the boy; 50 is moved in a forward direo li n, that is to say to the left as here SEOWRI. such movement will be transmitted through one set of the said springs 55 and the collar 53 to the collar 51 thereby cruising or tend-- ing to cause a similar movement of the rod to which. the latter is attached. In a like manner a movement of the box 50 in the other or rearward direction, that is to say to the right-as here shown, causes a similar The cooperation of the other set of "springs 55, coilar and collar St to produce or tone to produce a corresponding movement nent is such howcrer that in either direction from their normal positions will bring; the plate 37 of one of .tioned clutches into engagement With it corresporiding plate 36. l Vhen this stage is reached the box 50in continuin its movement Will slide relative to the collar 5 thereby il'lcrcasing the compresthe aioremen sion a set spriu u'l'iicli lidi will in .i uenrc tl'iroug'h their slidable col- Each of" thearmsfitfl and 49 :is provided with a suitable spring as 56 "WlllCll is 'anchored to a suitable fixed point and tends such arm audits box axially in d direction to engage the groove 44; and so permittingthe friction clutches to disengage and render the sub sidiary gearsegaiirinoperative at the reouiretl stan'ein the operation of the main year, there are provided and arranged Sta tionary (nrteither side of each 'otjthe arms 218 and ll; cams or inclined surfares 57. The a1v ngreinent lS'SllLll that as the said armsiperform their said longitudinal movement in either direction they will come in rontact with one or other of'the said cams which latter will operate the arms and their lEOZ-SS axially in opposition to their said wings and thus carry such arms out 1? the grooves iGor 47 as the case may be.

In the preferred :torm oi the construction this purpose is effected by providing a stationary shaft or rod 58 disposed parallel with the aforesaid shafts and rods and upon which shaft 58 are mounted collars present ingtothe said arms surfaces of conical or gradually increasing diameter to constitute the said cams.

adjusting the positions of the collars containing; the inclined surfaces 57 longitudinally upon the rod 58, the releasing of the armsaS 'an'd49 from the grooves 4.6 or

Ti-(f and the eonse uent disene'a in ot the clutches may be caused to take place at a desired stage in the operation of changing the main gears.

The setting may be such as to cause the subsidiary gears to become inoperative before the incoming main gears actually en or the setting may be such as to produce an overlapping action, that is to say the subsidiary gear will not be thrown out a sligiit increment of therodsAS-Band' of operation until the main gear has come into engagement or connnencal such cugagement.

In cas -s where no such overlapping action occurs the shaft 21 may form an integral part of the countcr-shaft l or may be connected fixedly thereto in any suitable manner as by means of a hey (it) as here shown in Fig. 2.

In cases where such overlapping action occurs, however, it is necessary or desiral: le to provide the shaft 21. with a slight amount of torsional freedom, as otherwise it mightbe impossible for the main gears to come into mesh.

This torsional freedom is preferably provided by applying the rotary motion of the shaft 1 to the shaft '21 through a spring drive adapted to permit the shaft 21 to turn independently for a distance of say one tooth of its wheels in either direction.

This spring'drive may take any suitable form such for example as that .shown in Figs. 7 and S, and consisting of a member 61 mounted upon the shaft 21 and fixedly attached thereto in any suitable manner as by means of a set-screw 62, while fixedly attached to the counter-shaft 4: in any appropriate manner, as by means of a pin 63, is a member 64 arranged within the member 61.

The said member 6a is adapted to turn axially in relation to the member 61 within limits provided by stops 65 in the latter and suitable springs 66 are arranged in compression to oppose the said turning movement.

In the cases where this device is employed the shaft 21 may conveniently take the form of a sleeve loosely mounted upon a portion of the shaft 4 which portion may be suitably reduced in diameter as here shown.

If so desired the shaft 21 instead of being connected to the shaft 4 may be operated through suitable gearing directly from the shaft 1 in a manner similar to that of such shaft t.

In such cases the shaft 21 will be connected with its driving-gear either rigidly or through a spring-drive as considered necessary or advisable.

The operation of the invention is as follows Upon the rods 13 or 14: being operated by means of the gear-lever for the purpose of bringing any of the main gears into engagement in the customary manner, the resulting movement of the groove 46 or 47 will through its engagement with the arm 48 or 49 serve to so operate the rod 13 or the rod 44 as the case may be as to render operative the subsidiary gear corresponding with the main gear about to engage.

This action occurs during the first portion of the movement of the lever so that the subsidiary gear becomes operative and serves to bring the shafts to the correct relative speeds for the engagement of the main gears while the latter are still passing through their neutral position.

As the lever continues its movement the main gears will be brought into engagement while the action of the inclined surfaces 57 will, either before or after such engagement takes place disengage the arm 48 or 4-9 from its notch 46 or at? as the case may be thereby permitting the subsidiary gear to again resume its inoperative condition.

As the main gear is returned to its neutral condition by the usual operation of the le ver, the groove will thereby be restored to its original position and thus re-engage the arm in readiness to again operate the subsidiary gear in the manner already explained.

This inter-action of the subsidiary and main gears takes place each time a changing of the main gears is effected and consequently by the use of the invention the difliculties of bringing the shafts to the correct relative speeds for the engagement of the main gears will be eliminated.

I claim:

1. In selective change-gear the combination with a main drivingshaft, a countershat't rotated thereby. a main driven-shaft, a series of selectively engagcable main gears whereby said driven shaft may be driven at a variety of speeds by and relative to said driving-shaft and counter-shaft, and operablemeans for governing said engagement and selection, of mean whereby said shafts are brought to the correct relative rotations when any of said main gears are about to engage, comprising acorresponding series of subsidiary gears each potentially capable of connecting said shafts to rotate at the same relative speeds and directions as its corresponding main gear, friction clutches whereby each of said subsidiary gears may be rendered operative to so connect said shafts,, a tubular member carrying means for controlling certain of said friction-clutches a rod passing through said tubular member and carrying means for controlling the remaining frictionclutches, and means whereby said controlling means are selectively operated by said governing means in such manner that the correspond ing subsidiary gear will be rendered first operative and then inoperative during the operation of said governing means in. bringing any of the main gears into engagement.

2. In selective changegear the combination with a main driving-shaft, a countershaft rotated thereby, a main driven-shaft, a series of selectively cngageable main gears whereby said driven-shaft may be driven at a variety of speeds by and relative to said driving-shaft and counter-shaft, and oper lUU able means for governing said engagementand selection, of means whereby said shafts are brought to the correct relative rotations when of said main gears are about to engage, comprising a corresponding series o't subsidiary gears each potentially capable o1 connecting said shafts to rotate at the same relative speeds and directions as its corresponding main gear, friction-clutches whereby each of said subsidiary gears may be rendered operative to so connect said shafts, a tubular member carrying means for controlling certain of said frictionclutches, a rod passing through said tubular member and carrying moans tor controlling the remaining friction-clutches, each oi said controlling members carrying a member mounted for rotary movement thereon, an operating member rigid with said rotary member and normally in engagement with said governing means, and means in the path of movement of said operating member for disengaging it from the governing means at a predetermined time.

3. In selective change-gear the combina tion with a main driving-shaft, a countershat't rotated thereby, a main driven-shaft, a series of selectively engageable main gears whereby said driven-shaft may be driven at a variety of speeds by and relative to said driving-sl1aft and counter-shatt and operable means for governing said engagement and selection, of means whereby said shatts may be broughtto the required relative ro tations when any of said main gears are about to engage comprising a corresponding series of subsidiary gears each potentially capable of connecting said shafts to rotate at the same relative speeds and directions as its corresponding main gear, frictionclutches whereby each of said subsidiary gears may be rendered operative to so connect said shafts, means for controlling said arness friction-clutches operable by said governing means to render the corresponding subsidiary gear first operative and then inoper ative during the operation of said governing means in bringing any of the main into engagement, and a spring drive introduced to provide a limited amount of tor sional freedom between said. main and sub sidia-ry gears.

1-. In selective change-gear, the combination with a main driving-shaft, a countershaft rotated thereby, a main driven-shatt, a series of selectively engageable main gears whereby said driven shaft may be driven at a variety of speeds by and relative to said driving-shaft and countensliait, and operable means for governing said engagement and selection, of means whereby said shafts are brought to the correct relative rotations when any of said main gears are about to engage, comprising a corresponding series o't' subsidiary gears each potentially capable of connecting said shafts to rotate at the relative speeds and directions its corresponding main gear, friction clutches carried by the countershatt whereby each of said subsidiary gears may be rendered operative to so connect said shafts, means for controlling said friction-clutches, and means whereby said controlling means are operated by said governing means in such manner that the corresponding subsidiary gear will be rendered first operative and then inoperative during the operation of said governing means in bringing any of the main gears-into engagement.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

EDGAR RICHARD WVILLIAMS.

In the presence ot' GYRIL- CARLYM COATES, SIDNEY JAMns 'llnnnnnvnn. 

